Steven G. Wood

Of Counsel

Steven Wood is Of Counsel in Gray Duffy’s Redwood City office and heads the firm’s real estate practice. He has more than 30 years’ experience advising and representing commercial real estate investors, brokers, developers, tenants and landlords in a variety of real estate matters, including purchase and sale agreements, commercial leases, commercial broker arrangements, easements and right of way agreements, commercial and residential lender-borrower negotiations and documentation of real property and mixed collateral secured loans.

Mr. Wood has successfully handled several dozen complex commercial lease transactions with lease values ranging from $1.5M to $17.2M; a variety of mixed real property and hi-tech personal property purchase and sale transactions ranging from $6M to $40M involving major Silicon Valley companies; and advised a variety of real estate and other early to mid-stage companies on investment strategies and structures, as well as risk allocation and management. Having worked the entire spectrum in a variety of complex and high value matters, he sees the “big picture” in any given transaction or dispute and always operates according to the philosophy, “advocacy for solutions.”

From 2008 through 2013, Mr. Wood advised and represented real estate investors, brokers, developers and “vulture funds” in charting the treacherous waters of the “Great Recession.” During this period, he also successfully handled several writs and appeals, most notably, writing the winning Appellant’s Opening and Reply Briefs for appeal before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Fortune Dynamic, Inc. v. Victoria’s Secret Stores Brand, Case No. 08- 56291 (2010).

In addition to transactional matters, Mr. Wood is well-versed in litigation involving disputes over real estate based assets or interests, including commercial broker arbitrations, easement disputes, and lender-borrower disputes over real property secured loans. His experience includes handling depositions, summary judgments, arbitrations and mediations, preparing and conducting trials, and serving as primary or co-appellate counsel on appeals and writs.

Mr. Wood is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the California federal Northern, Eastern, Central and Southern District Courts. He is a member of the Business, Litigation and Real Property Sections of the California State Bar.

Mr. Wood earned his B.A. degree in History summa cum laude and his J.D. from UCLA.

Professional Affiliations

• State Bar of California
• Business, Litigation and Real Property Sections of the California State Bar
• Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
• California Federal Northern, Eastern, Central and Southern District Courts

Community Organizations

• Leadership Foundation of America “Cabrini Green Projects” – Marshalled private and public resources for private capital to trigger social change.

Legal Writings, Articles and Publications

• The Globalization of the “Access-Sharing Economy” Is a 21st Century Reality
• Take a Little Piece of My Paradise, If It Makes You Feel Good: The Sharing Economy in Aesthetically Pleasing Locales
• Making More Better and Less More for Real Property Owners: Achieving “Highest and Best Use” in the Sharing Economy
• Breach of Fiduciary Claims: Understanding the Elements
• Breach of Fiduciary Duties and Recurrent Problems
• 5 Pitfalls to Avoid When Appearing Before Administrative Hearings